G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER

G11B7/00—Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor

G11B7/24—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material

G11B7/241—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material

G11B7/242—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers

G11B7/243—Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the selection of the material of recording layers comprising inorganic materials only, e.g. ablative layers

H—ELECTRICITY

H01—BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS

H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

H01L45/00—Solid state devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching without a potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. dielectric triodes; Ovshinsky-effect devices; Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof

H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

H01L45/00—Solid state devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching without a potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. dielectric triodes; Ovshinsky-effect devices; Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof

H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

H01L45/00—Solid state devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching without a potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. dielectric triodes; Ovshinsky-effect devices; Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof

H01L45/1206—Three or more terminal devices, e.g. transistor like devices

H—ELECTRICITY

H01—BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS

H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

H01L45/00—Solid state devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching without a potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. dielectric triodes; Ovshinsky-effect devices; Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof

H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

H01L45/00—Solid state devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching without a potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. dielectric triodes; Ovshinsky-effect devices; Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof

H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

H01L45/00—Solid state devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching without a potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. dielectric triodes; Ovshinsky-effect devices; Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof

H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

H01L45/00—Solid state devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching without a potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. dielectric triodes; Ovshinsky-effect devices; Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof

Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

The principalobject of this invention is to provide a solid state current controlling device for an electrical load'circuit which operates as a -switching" device for substantially instantaneously closing" and "opening the electrical load circuit, which is particularly adaptable for "closing" and *opening" A.C. electrical load circuits although it is also readily adaptable for closing" and opening D.C. electrical load circuits, and which is capable of "closing" and opening high energy electrical load circuits inclttding load ranges up to 250 watts and I beyond, voltage ranges up to 220 volts and beyond and ampere ranges up to IO amperes and beyond by means of theimposition of electrical fields thereon through comparatively low energy control signals.

The solid state current controlling or switching device of this invention includes a solid state semiconductor material means along with means, such as electrodes, nont'cctifying'contact therewith for connecting the same in series in the electrical load circuit. The solid state semi-conductor material, in one state or condition, is or high resistance andsuhstantially an insulator for block ing the tlow of current therethrough in either or both directions and, in another state or condition, it is of low resistance and substantially a conductor for conducting the flow of current therethrough in either or both directions. In its blocking state or condition, the solid state semiconductor material may have resistance values of millions of ohms while, in its conducting state or condition, the same configuration may have resistance values of less than one ohm, thereby providing current blocking substantially as in a high dielectric insulator and providing current conduction substantially as in a high current conducting metal.

The characteristics of the solid state semiconductor material of this invention are such that it may he substantially instantaneously changed from its blocking state or condition to its conducting state or condition and from its conducting'statc or condition to its blocking state or condition upon the imposition ofselected electrical fields thereon. The" solid state semiconductor material of this invention, in its blocking state or condition, blocks the current flow in each direction, i.e. in either direction or alternately in both directions substantially equally and, also, in its conducting state or condition con'ducts the current flow in each direction, i.e. in either direction or alternately in both directions substantially equally, and, accordingly, it is admirably suited for "switching" A.C. electrical load circuits. It is also suitable for switching" D.C. electrical load circuits.

When the solid state semiconductor material of this invention is in its blocking state or condition and-is subjected to one kind of electrical field of at least a threshold value, as for example, an applied electromotive force or voltage above a threshold value, it is substantially instantaneously changed from its blocking state or condition to its conducting state or condition. The applied voltage may be an A.C. voltage or a DC. voltage applied in either direction. The solid state semiconductor material in certain instances has memory and will remain in its conducting state or condition even through the up plied voltage is decreased below the threshold value.

Two general types of current controlling devices are here involved, one which remains in its conducting state or condition without the need for a holding current, which requires a dillercnt signal to change it to its blocking state or condition and whichis referred to as a memory device, and the other which requires a holding current for maintaining it in its conducting state or condition, which changes to its blocking state or condition when the current decreases below a minimum holding current value and which is referred to as a device without memory. The term applied voltage as used herein is the voltage applied to the load circuit containing the solid state semiconductor devices of this invention.

When certain of the solid state semiconductor devices of this invention are placed in their conducting state by the application of a DC. voltage, the memory is complete and long lasting and these devices will remain in their conducting state even though the applied voltage is greatly reduced below the threshold value or removed entirely or reversed. These devices may instantaneously changed from their conducting state to their blocking state by the imposition of a different kind of electrical field thereon, they have memory of their blocking state and remaining in their blockingstate even though this ditierent kind of electrical field is only momentarily applied. Some of these devices may be changed from their conducting state to their blocking state by applying a voltage or current thereto, and others by applying a current pulse thereto or by' ap plying an A.C. current produced by an A.C. voliage above the threshold value and thereafter reducing the A.C. voltage. They may be substantially instantaneously again changed from their blocking state to their conducting state by the imposition of the aforementioned one kind of electrical field (the applied DC. voltage.) above the threshold value. Thus, these devices, having these controllable alternate conducting and block ing memory states, are admirably suitable for memory devices for use as read-in and read-out devices in computers and the like, and this is especially so since they .can directly switch high energy electrical load circuits and eliminate the need for low energy electrical circuits and related amplifiers as are now required. Some of these solid state semi-conductor devices with memory may also be placed'in their permanent conducting state by the application of an A.C. voltage above a threshold value, and these alternate conducting and blocking memory devices are referred to hereinafter for convenience as Nile and Circuit Breaker devices which differ from each other in the kinds of the electrical licltls imposed thereon for substantially instantaneously chang' ing them from their conducting to their blocking states.

The Hi-Lo device may be changed from its blocking state to its conducting state by the application of an A.C. voltage of at least a threshold value and remains in its conducting state at voltages below the threshold value.

vWhen the HiLo device is in its conducting state and the applied A.C. voltage is below the threshold value. the impostion of an electrical field on the device, such as a small DC. or A.C. voltage applied through a low resistance to provide high current, instantaneously changes the device from its conducting state to its blocking state where it remains until it is again substantially instantaneously changed to its conducting state by inbe substantially 7 3 creasing the applied AC. voltage to at least its threshold value. The applied small D.C. or AC. voltage and high current need only be momentarily applied.

Likewise, the Circuit Breaker device may be changed from its blocking state totits conducting state by the application of an AC. voltage of at least a threshold value and it remembers and remains in its conducting state at voltages below the threshold value. It is normally uscdin its conducting slate at A.C. voltages below the threshold value. and upon the imposition of an electric lield, such as an increased current flow thercthrough by reason of decreasing the effective load resistance below a critical value either rapidly or slowly, the device instantaneously changes from its conducting state to its blockingstate where it remains until it is again'substantially instantaneously changed to its conducting state by increasing the applied A.C. voltage to at least its threshold-value. The increase of current flow needs to be only momentary for changing the device from its cond'ucing state to its blocking state. This Circuit Breaker device may also be operated as a Hi-Lo device if desired.

Another form of the solid state semiconductor device I of this invention, which is hereinafter referred to for convcnicttcc as a Mechanism device with memory. is not ordinarily capable of being placed in a permanent conducting state by the application of an AC. voltage above a threshold value, but. instead, it is changed from its blocking state to its permanent conducting state by the application of a D.C. voltage above a threshold value, it remembering and. remaining in its conducting state even through the applied D.C. voltage is reduced below the threshold value or is removed entirely or is reversed, as discussed above. How-even'if the applied D.C. voltage is' higluand the high-D.C.- voltage is suddenly removed or reduced. the Mechanism device with memory will switch to its blocking state. Further, the Mechanism device with memory, which has been placed in its permanent conducting state by the application of a D.C. voltage, maybe changed from its permanent conducting state to its blocking state by the imposition of an electric lield, such as a current pulse or an AC. current provided by an A.'C. voltage abovc an upper threshold value as determined by the load resistance and thereafter reducing the A.C. voltage. If the applied A.C. voltage is above the upper threshold value the Mechanism device with memory assumes a modified conducting state wherein current conduction is momentarily interrupted, near the zero points of the applied A.C. voltage, and when the applied A.C. voltage is lowered below a lower threshold value, the Mechanism device with memory immediately changes to its blocking state. it rememberingand remaining in that state even though the AC. voltage is removed. The Mechanism device with memory may again be changed to its perma ncnt conducting state by applying a D.C. voltage of nt least a threshold value. The Mechanism device with memory may also be changed to its permanent conducting state by connecting it in a circuit having a high series load resistance and applying tin-AC. voltage above a lowerthiesholdvalue. When-the applied AC. voltage is reduced or removed, the device will remain in its conducting state. it may be changed to its blocking state by applying an A.C. current from an AC. voltage above an upper threshold value as determined by the load resistance and then decreasing the A.C. voltage below the lower threshold value.

The Mechanism device without memory is normally in a blocking state and always tends to go to the blocking state, but, as in the other devices, it is substantially instantaneouslychanged from its blocking state or condition to its conducting state or condition by the application of an LC. or D.C. voltage of at least an upper threshold value, However, it only remembers and remains in its conducting state until the applied voltage is decreased to a value providing a minimum-holding current value, and when the current is decreased bclowsuch minimum holding value, it substantially instantaneously or immediately changes from its conducting state or condition to its blocking state or condition. The conducting state or condition of the Mechanism device with OI Wll'hOLIi memory, when brought about by the application of an A.C. voltage above an upper threshold value, is a somewhat modified conducting state wherein the current conduction is momentarily interrupted near the zero points of the applied AC. voltage where the instantaneous current is decreased below the minimum holding current value, and the length of each such momentary interruption may be dependent upon the value of the applied A.C. voltage. When the applied AC. voltage is decreased to a lower threshold value, the modified current conduction is interrupted and the device remains in its blocking state or condition. When the Mechanism device is conducting between its upper and lower A.C. voltage threshold values, the average current flow may be modulated by modulating the applied AC. voltage between said threshold values; Also, as the fre quency of the applied AC. voltage is decreased, the

Mechanism device tends to remain in its conducting' state or condition and the lower threshold value of the applied A.C. voltage, at which the Mechanism device changes from its conducting state or condition to its blocking state or condition, is correspondingly lowered.

It, when the applied AC. voltage applied to the conducting Mcchanism device with memory is between the upper and lower threshold values, a D.C. bias voltage is alsoapplied, the resistance value or state of the Mechanism device in its conducting state or condition is increased in accordance with the amount of D.C. bias. When the AC. voltage and the D.C. bias are removed. the Mechanism device has memory of that resistance value and remains in that resistance state. It has also been found that, when the Mechanism device is in its modified conducting state or condition by reason of the application of an AC. voltage thereto, and when the a series load resistance in the load circuit is increased suh stantially to decrease substantially the current flow through the device, the device tends to become a full conductor and remain substantially indefinitely in its conducting state as though it had been made conducting by the application of a D.C. voltagethcrcto. it has further been found that a Mechanism device in its modified conducting state or condition by reason of the application of an A.C. voltage thereto, will continue to conduct AC. current with interruptions as the instantaneous A.C. current in its alternating cycle nears its zero point until the applied A.C. voltage is decreased below its lower threshold value.

Thus, all of the solid state semiconductor electrical control devices of this invention may be substantially instantaneously changed from their blocking states or conditions to their conducting states or conditions by imposing one electrical field thereon. and they may be substantially instantaneously changed from their conducting -states or conditions to their blocking states or conditions As expressed by imposing an electrical field thcrcon.

above, the imposed electrical field for substantially instantaneously changing all of the devices from their.

blocking states or conditions to their conducting states or conditions may be an applied voltage of at least threshold value. The imposed clectricaliield for substantially instantaneously changing the Hi-Lo device from its conducting state to its blocking state may be the imposition of a small D.C. or A.C. voltage through a low resistance to provide high current. The imposed elcctrical field for substantially instantaneously changing the Circuit Breaker device from its conducting state to its.

applications of the device.

ing state to its blocking state may be, in one instance, the application of a current pulse or an AC. current and.

in the other instance, the decreasing of the applied A.C.

voltage to a value insufficient to provide a minimum holding current. It is believed that the reversible changes between the blocking and conducting states orconditions are caused by changes in the internal thermodynamic conditions in the devices (eg. temperature, electric potential, chemical composition and/or phase). The semiconductor materials of the devices which remain in their low resistance or conducting state or condition without the need for a holding current (such as the Hi-Lo and Circuit Breaker devices and the Mechanism device with memory for DC. operation) are referred to herein as memory type semiconductor materials, while the semiconductor materials of the devices which require a holding current to maintain the same in their low resistance or conducting state or condition (such as the Mechanism device without memory and the Mechanism device withmemory for AC. operation) are referred to herein as mechanism type semiconductor materials. The foregoing electrical characteristics and switching functions may be afforded by many different semiconductor materials and, particularly in connection with the devices without memory, the switching functions are not critically dependent upon the condition of the semiconductor materials, the switching functions occurring in semiconductor materials which are crystalline, or amorphous which may even be liquid. Some examples of the semiconductor materials are set forth hereafter.

It has also been discovered hat increasing the applied voltage above the threshold \alue operates to decrease still further the conducting resistance of the solid state semiconductor devices-of this invention, and that increasing the applied DC. or AC. voltage or current in the Hi-Lo device and increasing the current flow in the Circuit Breaker device, above those required 'to change such devices from their conducting states to their blocking states, increase still further the blocking resistances of-said devices. in this way, the conducting and blocking resistance values of the devices may, within limits, be regulated and predetermined. i

The solid state semiconductor conrolling devices of this invention have a temperature-resistance coefficient, the blocking resistance values and the applied voltage threshold values for switching the devices from their blocking states to their conducting states increasing as the temperature of the devices is decreased. For example, a device of this invention having a blocking resistance of substantially 300.000 ohms at room temperature has a blocking resistance of substantially 500,000,000 ohms at the temperature of liquid nitrogen. Thus, the blocking resistance values and the applied voltage threshold values can be utilized as indications of the temperature of the devices (the higher the temperature of the devices the lower the threshold values) and these values may also be predetermined or selected by regulating the temperature of the devices, the devices beingcapable of being switched by the application of external heat thereto and thereby being particularly advantageous for transducer However, the usual changes in the'usual temperature conditions normally encountered in the ordinary switching applications and environments may have substantially. no effect upon the above-described operations of the solid state semiconductor devices of this invention which are particularly adapted for use at such usual temperature conditions.

These imposed electrical fields for so controlling the aforementioned solid state semiconductor electrical control devices for substantially instantaneously switching" high energy electrical load circuits, including A.C. electrical load circuits, between on" and off" conditions may be readily and easily controlled. The imposition of these electrical fields and the manner of controlling the same also constitute important discoveries, aspects and objects of this invention.

Since the "switching" of high energy AC. electrical load circuits is of great importance and has not heretofore been successfully accomplished by single layer solid state semiconductor devices as distinguished from multilayer diodes having p-n junctions, the description hercinafter will be directed principally to such A.C. operations, although it will be understood that generally corresponding operations may also be applied to high energy D.C. electrical load circuits and low energy A.C. and DC. electrical load circuits.

Heretofore, solid state semiconductor electrical control devices have been generally of the type for controlling D.C. electrical circuits or for providing rectification of A.C. current, they all being essentially D.C. electrical circuit and rectifying components. The efforts in the semiconductor art havebcen directed largely and principally to providing substantially pure semiconductor materials (in some cases with small measured amounts of doping impurities) for such D.C. electrical circuit and rectifying components. Also great efforts have been expended toward eliminating, or reducing to a minimum, changes in structure of the semiconductor materials, and

defects or recombination centers or traps, particularly with respect to such defects or recombination centers or traps at the surfaces or interfaces of the semiconductor devices, for they have exhibited serious and detrimental effects upon such semiconductor devices.

However, in accordance with the instant invention, particularly where amorphous or amorphous-crystalline semiconductor materials are utilized, it has been discovered that solid state semiconductor devices which may change in structure, which are immensely impure and which, particularly in the high resistance or blocking state, have great numbers of defects or recombination centers or traps (hereinafter collectively referred to as current carrier restraining centers) with respect to the current carriers,'in the bulk and at the surfaces or interfaces thereof, have the above described electrical characteristics and are capable of switching" high energy electrical load circuits,including A.C. electrical load circuits, between on" and oiT" conditions in the manners described above. It is believed that such changes in structure and impurities or defects or recombination centers or traps and the current carriers in the solid state semiconductor materials of this invention are affected by the aforementioned electrical fields imposed thereon for providing the clcctridal characteristics and manners of operation described above.

which were not provided by the heretofore known solid state semiconductor devices used for DC. electrical circuit and rectifying components. Where crystalline semiconductor materials are utilized in the devices without memory, it may be necessary to give consideration to purities in order to achicve high resistance in the blocking state or condition. Here, as in the case of the devices utilizing amorphous materials, it is necessary to prevent rectifying barrier and p-n junction formation. Such discovery and concept further constitute important aspects and objects of this invention.

By utilizing selected solid state semiconductor matcrials, which may change in structure and which have the desired electrical characteristics may be regulated and predetermined, as for example, the type of of device, such as Hi-Lo, Circuit Breaker or Mechanism, the electrical resistance values of the solid state semiconductor devices in their blocking states or conditions and in their conducting states or conditions, the current blocking and currentconducting capacities of the devices, the threshold value of the electrical field at which the devices substantially instantaneouslychange from their blocking state or condition to their conducting state or condition, the value of the imposed electrical field required to substantially instantaneously change the Hi-Lo device from its conducting state or condition to its blocking state or condition, thc'value of the imposed electrical field roquirctl to substantially instantaneously change the Circuit Breaker devicc'from itsconducting state or condition to its-blocking state or condition. and the value of the electrical field at which the Mechanism device is substantially instantaneously changed from its conducting state or condition to its blocking state or condition.

For example, the solid state semiconductor materials can be tellurides, selenides. sulfides or oxides of substantially any metal, or mctalloid, or intermetallic compound, or semiconductor. or solid solutions or mixtures thereof, particularly good results being obtained where tellurium or selenium are utilized. These solid state semiconductor materials are appropriately selected and may be appropriately treated to provide desired restraining centers with respect to current carriers, and some specific examples will be set forth hereafter. The solid state semiconductor materials of t'his invention are non-rectifying and may be of the p-type or n-type.

The solid state semiconductor materials may be chosen to provide an intramolccular band structure having large numbers of current carrier restraining centers by virtue of disordered chain or ring structure or disordered atomic structure and this may be enhanced by treating the same in various ways, as forcxample, utilizing impure materials: depositing on substrates; adding impurities; including oxides in the bulk and/or in the surfaces or interfaces; mechanically by machining, sand blasting, impacting, bending, etching or subjecting to ultrasonic'wavcs; metallurgically forming physical lattice deformations by heat treating and quick quenching or by high energy" radiation with alpha. beta or gamma rays; chemically by means of oxygen, nitric or'hydrofiuoric acid, chlorine, sulphur, carbon, gold, nickel, iron 'or maganese inclusions, or ionic composition inclusions comprising alkali or alkaline earth metal compositions; electrically byelectrical pulsing; or combinations thereof.

The solid state semiconductor materials ofthis invention may be in the form of a body, a thin wafer or layer or film and may perform their current controllingfunctions in the bulk or in the surfaces or interfaces or in the combinations thereof, the most' pronounced controlling activity normally being afforded in the surfaces or interfaces. The surfaces may include a film which may contain oxides and the thickness of such'body, thin wafer or Y layer or film may be within the range of substantially a monomolecular thickness up to a thickness of a few ten thousandths of an inch or even up to a thickness of a few hundredths of an inch or more. Electrically conducting electrodes are utilized for connecting the solid state semiconductor materials in series in the cloctrical load circuit and the path of current flow may be through the material including its interfaces or surfaces or films, or along the surfaces or films thereof. The nature and thicknesses of the semiconductor materials and their interfaces, surfaces and films, the spacing of'the electrodes and the manner in which the electrodes are applied have an effect upon the end results, but the solid state semiconductor devices of this invention may be tailor made to fit almost any requirement.

- Various different theories of operation of the heretofore known solid state semiconductor devices have been advanced but none of them appears to be sufficient to completely explain the operation of the solid state semiconductor devices of this invention. The particular theory or theories of operation of the solid state semiconductor devices of this invention are not certain, but various theories or postulations maybe made in an attempt to further understand the subject matter of this invention.

As one example of possible thory, in accordance with I this invention, there exists in the semiconductor material andthe surfaces thereof and in the interfaces betwcen'the semiconductor material and the electrodes associated therewith, current carrier retaining centers or states or conditions. which may operate under the control of electrical fields itnposcd thereon for restraining and releasing the current carriers.

In the solid state semiconductor devices of this inven' they remain in a free, almost metallic, condition or state of conduction, and that the free current carriers in the conducting state are so controlled in response to electrical fields as to reduce their availability and provide a semiconducting or a dielectric or 'blockiugstate which remains substantially indefinitely. It is also possible that there is a change in phase or state or condition of the semiconductor material in the bulk or immediately adjacent the electrodes which is exceptionally fast and extremely reversible, such as a change in phase or state between a crystalline condition where it is a conductor and an amorphous condition where it is an insulator, and/or a change in phase or state between a softened or molten or liquid condition where it is a conductor and a solid condition where it is an insulator, and/or a change in crystal structure and size. and relations between crystals with restrong localized fields, and, under certain conditions. tunneling is quite possible. The impurities and defects and ions introduced into the materials and their surfaces and interfaces probably act as controllable restraining centers for the current carriers and also probably affect the space charge. It is also possible that the contacts between the semiconductor materials and the electrodes are essentially non-rectifying or ohmic contacts which conduct current in either or both directions without rectification, but which are capable upon the imposition of certain electrical fields to cause the electrodes to inject current carriers into the semiconductor materials or to sweep away the current carriers.

It may also be possible that a barrier height is established by charges at the interfaces between the semiconductor material and the metal electrodes associated therewith to provide the blocking state, and it is possible that an electrical gradient in the form of an electrical field, such as the applied voltage, acts as if to reduce the barrier by causing the separation of the current carriers from their recombination centers and provide the conducting state for substantially unimpeded current flow. It may be considered that in the conducting state the current carriers are being emitted and that the barrier is vanishingly thin. It may also be considered that the current carrier restraining centers are reactivated to recombine or trap or restrain the current carriers to reestablish the barrier and hence the blocking state.

Preferably. the semiconductor materials of the devices of this invention may be materials of the polymeric type including poiymeric networks and the like having covalent bonding and cross-linking highly resistant to crystallization, which, in their high resistance or blocking state, are in a locally organized disordered solid state condition which is generally amorphous (not crystalline) but which may possibly contain relatively small crystals or chain or ring segments which would probably be maintained in randomly oriented position therein by the crosslinking. These polymeric structures may be. one, two or three dimensional structures. It is believed that such generally amorphous polymeric like semiconductor materials have substantial current carrier restraining centers and a relatively large energy gap, that they have a relatively small mean free path for the current carriers. large spatial potential fluctuations and relatively few free current carriers due to the amorphous structure and the substantial current carrier restraining centers therein for providing the high resistance or blocking state or condition. 'In this respect, it is believed that such amorphous type of semiconductor materials may have a higher resistance at the ordinary and usual temperatures of use, a greater non-linear negative temperature-resistance coefficient, a lowerheat conductivity coefficient, and a greater change in electrical conductivity between the blocking state or condition and the conducting state or condition than'crystalline type of semiconductor materials, and thus be more suitable for many applications of this invention.

However, the semiconductor materials of the Mechanism devices without memory may be crystalline like materials in their high resistance or blocking stateor condition having substantial current carrier restraining centers, and it is believed that such crystalline like semiconductor materials have a relatively large mean free path for the current carriers due to the crystal lattice structure and hence a relatively high current carrier mobility, but that there are relatively few free current carriers due to substantial current carrierrestrairu'ng centers therein, a relatively large energy gap the "em, and large spatial potential fluctuations therein forprovid'ing' the high resistance or blocking state or condition.

-As an electrical field is applied to the semiconductor material (either the crystalline type or the amorphous type) of'a device of this inventionin its blocking state or. condition, such as a voltage applied to the electrodes, the resistance of at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material between the electrodes decreases gradually and slowly as the applied field increases until such time as the'applied field or voltage increases to a threshold value, whereupon said at least portions of the semiconductor material, at least one path between the electrodes. are substantially instantaneously changed to a low resistance or conducting state or condition for conducting current therethrough. It is believed that the applied threshold field or voltage causes firing or breakdown or switching" of said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material, and that the breakdown may be electrical or thermal or a combination of both,

the electrical breakdown caused by the electrical field or voltage being more pronounced where the distance between the electrodes is small. as small as a fraction of a micron or so, and the thermal breakdown caused by the electrical field or voltage being more pronounced for greater distances between the electrodes. For some crystalline like'ma'terials the distances between the electrodes can be so small that barrier rectification and p-n junction operation are impossible due to the distances being beneath the transition length or barrierheight. The switching times for switching from the blocking state to the conducting state are extremely short, less thana few microseconds.

The electrical breakdown may be due to rapid release, multiplication and conduction of current carriers in avalanche fashion under the influence of the applied electrical field or voltage, which may result from external field emission, internal field emission. impact or collision ionization from current carrier restraining centers (traps, recombination centers orthe like), impact or collision ionization from valence bands, much like that occurring at breakdown in a gaseous discharge tube, or by loweringthe height or decreasing the width of possible potential barriers and tunneling or the like may also be pos sible. It is believed that the local organization of the atoms and their spatial relationship in the' crystal lattices in the crystalline type materials and the local organization and the spatial relationship between the atoms or small crystals or chain or ring segments in theamorphous type materials, at breakdown, are such as to provide at least a minimum mean free path for the current carriers released by the electrical field or voltage which is sufficient to allow adequate acceleration of the free current carriers by the applied electrical field or voltage to provide the impact or collision ionization and electrical breakdown. It is also believed that such a minimum mean free path for the current carriers may be inherently present in the amorphous structure and that the current conducting condition is greatly dependent upon the local organization for both the amorphous and crystalline conditions. As expressed above a relatively large mean free path for the current carriers can be present in the crystalline structure.

The thermal breakdown may be due to Joule heating of said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material by the applied electrical field or voltage, the semiconductor material having a substantial non-linear negative temperature-resistance coefficient and a minimal heat conductivity coefficient, and the resistance of said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material rapidly decreasing upon such heating thereof. In this respect, it is believed that such decrease in resistance increases the current and rapidly heats by Joule heating said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material to thermally release the current carriers to be accelerated in the mean free path by the applied electrical field or voltage to provide for rapid release, multiplication and conduction of current carriers in avalanche fashion and, hence, breakdown, and, especially in the amorphous condition, the overlapping of orbitals by virtue of the type of local organization can create different subbands in the band structure.

It is also believed that the current so initiated between the electrodes at breakdown (electrically, thermally-or both) causes at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material between the electrodes to be substantially instantaneously heated by Joule heat, that at such increased temperatures and under the influence of the electrical field or voltage, further current carriers are released, multiplied and conducted in avalanche fashion to provide high current density, and a low resistance or conducting state or condition which remains at a greatly reduced applied voltage. it is possible that .he increase in mobility of the current carriers at higher temperature and higher electric field strength is due to the fact that the current carriers being excited to higher energy states populate bands of lower. eiTective mass and,

, hence, higher mobility than at lower temperatures and ferent masses and mobilities and electric field strengths. The possibility for tunneling increases with lower effective mass and higher mobility. It is also possible that a space charge can be established due to the possibility of the current carriers having difsince an inhomogeneous electric field could be established which would continuously elevate current carriers from one mobility to another in a regenerative fashion. As the current densities of the devices decrease, the current carrier mobilities decrease and, therefore, their capture possibilities increase. In the conducting state or condition the current carriers would be more energetic than their surroundings and would be considered as .being hot. it is not clear 'at what point the minority carriers present could have an influence on the conducting process, but there is a possibility that they may enter and dominate, i.e. become majority carriers at certain critical levels.

It is further believed that the amount of increase in the mean free path for the current carriers in the amorphous like semiconductor material and the increased current carrier mobility are dependent upon the amount of increase in temperature and field strength, and it is possible that said at least portions or paths of some of the amorphous like semiconductor materials are electrically activated and heated to at least a critical transition temperature, such as a glass transition temperature, where softening begins to take place. Thus, due to such'increase in mean free path for the current carriers, the current carriers produced and released by the applied electrical field or voltage are rapidly released, multiplied and conducted in avalanche fashion under the influence of the applied electrical field or voltage to provide and maintain a low resistance or conducting state or condition. l-'urthermore'; the current conducting filaments or threads or paths may increase or decrease in cross section or volume dependingupon the current density and, therefore, the current conduction can vary at substantially constant voltages, and there is no substantial overall generation of heat in the devices.

With respect to the memory devices, such as the Hi-Lo, Circuit Breaker and Mechanism device with memory it is believed that in switching to the conducting state said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor ma erial are electrically acliviated andheated by Joule hett to at least a critical transition temperature, such as a glass transition temperature where softening begins to take place, and that at such elevated temperatures crystallization takes place in said at least portions of the. semiconductor material and they assume a static condition, i.e., a more ordered polymeric like crystalline solid state condition which possibly may contain relatively large crystals or packed chains or rings or a condition approaching the more ordered polymeric like crystalline condition which possibly may contain relatively large alignment of the chain or ring segments. Both of these are herein termed the more ordered crystalline structure at least portions or paths of the memory type semiconductor material (threads or filaments or paths) having said more ordered crystalline likesolid state condition are closely enclosed or encased in 'the remaining solid state semiconductor material having the aforementioned disordered polymeric like solid state condition which has relatively high electrical resistance and relatively low heat conductivity. When electrical energy is applied to the electrodes through a relatively low impedance, a large current flow of at least a threshold value is caused to flow through said at least portions or paths of the solid state semiconductor material to generate, by Joule heat, substantial heat therein, dissipation of heat therefrom being held to a minimum by the immediately surrounding material having the disordered polymeric like structure. It is believed. that said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material are heated above the aforementioned critical transition temperature and that such heating causes a substantial sharp temperature differential between the ordered crystalline structure of said portions or paths and the immediately enclosing or encasing disordered amorphous structure. As a result, it is believed that the relatively large crystals orpacked chains orurings of the ordered crystalline structure of said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material are so thermally vibrated and shocked or stressed to break them up into relatively small crystals or chain or ring segments (to'decrease the crystallization forces with respect to the crystal inhibiting forces) and form the highly disordered amorphous structure to provide the high resistance or blocking state therein. In this respect, it is believed that when a crystal or chain or ring in said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material are so ruptured or broken, the electrical energy is caused to flow through the remaining crystals or chains or rings to additionally heat them so that the rupturing or breaking of the crystals or chains or rings takes place in avalanche fashion and substantially instantaneously causes said at least portions of the semiconductor material to return to its high resistance or blocking condition.

It is also possible when said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material are so activated and heated by the high current that they are heated to a softened or molten condition, that the current path therethrough is interrupted at a point therein to block the flow of current therethrough, and that as a result of such interruption of the current flow said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor material rapidly cool and assume the highly disordered amorphous state. Said at least portions'or paths of the semiconductor material may also be rapidly cooled by externally interrupting or rapidly decreasing the high current therethrough. It is believed that it is in these ways that the Hi-Lo, Circuit Breaker and Mechanism devices with ,memory are switched from their conducting state or condition to their blocking state or condition. tween the conducting and blocking states or conditions is reversible and long lasting.

In the memory devices, the low resistance or conducting state, which is a static crystalline like conditiomremains after the applied electrical field or voltage is decreased or removed, while in the Mechanism devices, the low resistance or conducting state exists only while a sustaining electrical field or voltage is applied.

it is believed that in the amorphous type semiconductor materials of this invention there are always present materials to assume their more ordered crystalline like solid statecondition. Whether or not said at least portions or. paths of the semiconductor materials change to and remain in their more ordered or crystalline like solid state condition or remain in their disordered'or generally amorphous solid state condition (although in a dynamically more ordered solid state condition), depends, it is believed, upon the relative strengths of the crystal inhibiting or disrupting forces and the crystallization forces.

The Mechanism devices without memory and using amorphous materials always remain in the disordered or generally amorphous condition. In the memory devices where the crystallization forces are sufliciently strong to cause said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor materials to change to and remain in their more ordered crystallineiike condition, these crystallization forces may be controlled and decreased sufficiently to allow the ever present crystal inhibiting or disrupting forces to return said at least portions or paths of the semiconductor mate rials to their disordered or generally amorphous solid state condition.

When said at least portions or paths of the memory type semiconductor materials, such as used in the Hi-Lo, Circuit Breaker and Mechanism devices having memory,

are. in their low resistance or conducting state, i.c.. their more ordered crystalline like solid state condition, at elevated temperature and are cooled by decrease in. the applied electrical energy below the aforementioned c'ritical transition temperature, they remain in this state of condition, and they have substantially permanent memcry of this state or condition. it is believed that these semicondutcor materials have relatively weak crystal inhibiting ordisrupting forces (a lesser amount of crosslinking in the polymeric structure) with respectto the crystallization forces. Conversely, when said at least portions or paths of the mechanism type semiconductor matcrials, such as used in the Mechanism devices without memory, are in their low resistance or conducting state, i.e. their dynamically more ordered solidstate condition,

The switching beandeven where they may be at a temperature above the aforementioned critical transition temperature, they automatically'substantially instantaneously revert, upon substantial reduction of the current below a certain holding value, to their high resistance or blocking state, i.e. their disordered or generally amorphous solid state condition, toward they always tend to revert. It is believed that these semiconductor materials have relatively strong crystal inhibiting or disrupting forces (a greater amount of crosslinking in the polymeric structure) with respect to the crystallization forces.

The solid state semiconductor current controlling devices of this invention may take various forms and may be of two, three or four electrode types depending upon the type of service in which they are utilized. If the devices are to be subjected to adverse atmospheric conditions or rough handling, they may be suitably encapsulated. Encapsulation presents no real problem since the devices are substantially insulators in their blocking states, are substantially conductors in their conducting states, and are substantially instantaneously switched between their blocking and conducting states.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims and drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 to 17 diagrammatically illustrate various forms .of the solid state current controlling device of this invention;

FIG. I8 is a schematic wiring diagram of a test setup which is capable of testing and showing the operation of the solid state current controlling devices of this invention including the Hi'Lo, Circuit Breaker and Mechanism devices;

FIG. 19 is a group of curves showing the manner of operation of the Hi-Lo device;

FIG. 20 is a group of curves showing the manner of operation of the Circuit Breaker device;

FIG. 21 is a group of curves showing the manner of I operation of the Mechanism device;

FIG. 22 is a schematic wiring diagram of a circuit arrangemcnt for changing the memory type solid state current controlling devices of this invention from their blocking states to their conducting states and from their conducting states to their blocking states;

FIG. 23 is a schematic wiring diagram of a typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Hi-Lo device of the two electrode type;

FIG. 24 is a partial schematic wiring diagram corresponding to that of FIG. 23 and illustrating a typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Hi-Lo device of the three electrode type;

FIG. 25' is a partial schematic wiring diagram corresponding to that of FIG. 23 and illustrating a typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Hi-Lo device of the four electrode type:

FIG. 28 is a schematic wiring diagram of a typical load circuit, arrangement utilizing a Mechanism device and operating as a logic circuit, such as an and" gate circuit;

FIG. 29 is a schematic wiring diagram of a typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Mechanism device of the fourelectrode type;

FIG. 30 is a partial schematic wiring diagram similar to that of FIG. 29 and illustrating a typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Mechanism device of the three electrode type;

FIG 31 is a schematic wiring diagram of another typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Mechanism device of the three electrode type; v

FIG. 32 is a characteristic curve of the l-Ii-Lo and Circuit Breaker memory devices of their blocking and conducting conditions plotting current against D.C. voltage; and

FIG. 33 is a characteristic curve similar to FIG. 32 of the Mechanism device without memory and plotting current against D.C. voltage.

A solid state current controlling device of this invention is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. I and it includes a body it) of solid state semiconductor material, a pair of electrically conducting electrodes 11 and 12 in electrical contact with the solid state semiconductor body 10 and a pair of leads I3 and 14 for connecting the device in series in an electrical load circuit. The electrodes 11 and 12 may be embedded in the body It) or they may be suitably applied and secured to the surface of the body 10. Here, the current flow is through the solid state semiconductor body it) and the control of the current is accomplished principally in bulk in the body 10, the effective material between the electrodes normally being in its bl0cking state.

In the solid state current controlling device of FIG. 2,

a body 15 of solid state semiconductor material has surducting state and the material of the surfaces or films being in its blocking state.

In FIG. 3, the solid state current controlling device includes a solid state semiconductor body 18 with a single surface or film 19, the electrode 11 being in electrical contact with the body 18 and the electrode 12 being in'elcctrical contact with the film or surface 19. The leads l3 and i4 operate to connect the device into the electrical load circuit. The current flow is through the body 18 and the surface or film I9 and the control of the current takes place principally in the surface or film 19, the material of the body being in its conducting state and the material of the surface or film normally being in its blocl ing state. The electrode 11 may be embedded in the body 18 or applied to the surface thereof and the electrode 12 is applied to the surface or film 19.

In FIG. 4, the current controlling device includes apair of solid state semiconductor bodies 20 and 21 which are Provided, respectively, with surfaces or films 22 and 23. The bodies 20 and 21 are suitably secured together with their respective films 22 and 23 sandwiched between them in electrical contact. The electrodes 11 and I2 are in electrical contact with the bodies 20 and Zl and they may be embedded therein or applied to the outer surfaces thereof. The leads l3 and 14 connect this device into the electrical load circuit. The current flow is through the bodies 20 and 2t and their respective surfaces or films 22 and 23 and the control of the current flow is accomplished principally in the surfaces or films 22 and 23, the material of the bodies being in its conducting state and the material of the surfaces or films being in its blocking state.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. 5 includes a body 24 of solid state semiconductor material and a pair of spaced apart electrodes It and 12 suitably secured to the body 24. The leads 13 and t4 connect the device in series in the electrical load circuit. The elec trodes ll and 12 may be embedded in the body 24 or they may be suitably applied to the surface thereof. The current flow is along the body 24 between the electrodes 11 and 12 and the control of the current flow is principally accomplished in the bulk of the body 24, the effective material between the electrodes normally being in its blocking state.

In FIG. 6, the solid state current controlling device includes a body 25 having a surface or film 26 on one face thereof along with spaced apart electrodes 11 and 12 suitably applied to the surface or film 26.- Here, the current flow is principally along the body and through the surface or film 26 between the electrodes 11 and 12 and the body and the control of the current flow takes place principally in the surface or film 26. the material of the body being in its conducting state and the material of the surface or film normally being in its blocking state.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. 7 is similar to that of FIG. 6, it including a body 27 of solid state semiconductor material 27 having a surface or film 28. A pair of electrically conducting electrodes 29 and 30, in the form of interleaving metallic combs, are suitably applied to the surface or film 28. Here, the current flow is principally along the body and through the surface or film v2.8 between the electrodes 29 and 30 and the body and the control of the current flow occurs principally in the surface or film 28, the material of the body being in its conducting state and the material of the surface or film normally being in its blocking state. The electrodes 29 and 30 are provided with leads l3 and 14 for connecting the same into the electrical load circuit.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. 8 includes a pellet or head 31 of-solld state semiconductor material which in turn preferably has a surface or film. A pair ofelectrically conducting electrodes 32-and 33 are suitably adhered to the surface or film of the pellet or bead '31 and the electrodes 32 and: 33'rnay be extended to provide leads 13 and for connecting the device into the electrical load circuit or they may be provided with separate leads for this purpose. Here, the current flow is essentially through the surface or film and the pellet or head '31 betweenthe electrodes 32 arid 33 and the control of the current takes place principally in the surfate or film, the material of the pellet or bead being in its conducting state and the material of the surface or film normally being in its blocking state.

. The solid state-current controlling device of FIG. 9 includes a pair of electrically conducting 'wires 34 and 35 which arecoated with solid state semiconductor materials 36 and 37. The semiconductor materials 36 and 37 on the wires 34 and 35 are suitably held in electrical contact and the current how is through the semiconductor material 36 and 37 between the wires 34 and 35,the semiconductor material normally being in its blocking state. The wires 34 and 35 may be extended to'form leads 13 and 14 for connecting the device into the electrical load circuit or they may be provided with separate leads for this purpose.

While FIG. 9 illustrates both wires 34 and 35 having semiconductor material thereon, the semiconductor material may be omitted from one of the wires, in which event the bare wirewould be placed in electrical contact with the semiconductor materialon the other wire. Efficient operation'and'satisfactory results are obtained with either arrnngement.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. is similar to that of FIG. 9, but differs therefrom in the manner of maintaining the wires and the semiconductor materials in electrical contact with each other. In'FlG. It) a pair'of wires 38 and 39 are provided with coatings of semiconductor material 40 and 41, the wires 38 and 39 and the semiconductor material 40 and 41 being twisted together to maintain the proper electrical contact therebetween. Here, the flow of current is through the semiconductor materials 40 and between the wires 38 and 39, the semiconductor materials.f operating to control the .current flow. The wires 38 and 39 may be extended to provideleads 1-3 and 14 for connecting the device into the electrical load circuit or they may be provided with separate leads, for this purpose. Here, as in FIG. 9, only one of the wires need be coated with the semiconductor material and in both instances satisfactory results and efficient operation are obtained.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. ll

i6 able semiconductor materials 44 and 45. The semiconductor materials 44 and 4S electrically contact each other when the wires 42 and/43 are crossed as illustrated in FIG. II. The wires 42 and 43 may be extended to form leads l3 and 34 for connecting the device into the electrical load circuit or separate leads may be provided for this purpose. The current flow is through and controlled by the semiconductor materials 44 and 45 where they cross and engage each other, the materials normally being in their blocking state. The other ends of the wires 42 and 43 may be utilized, if desired, as the control electrodes. As in the devices of FIGS. 9 and 10, only one of the wires 42 or 43 need be coated with the semiconductor materialand, in both instances, etficient operation and satisfactory results are obtained.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. 12 is a four electrode device. It includes a body 46 of solid state semiconductor material-along with electrodes 11 and 12 suitably applied thereto on opposite faces thereof, the electrodes 11 and 12- being provided with leads 13 and 14 for connecting the same into the electrical load circuit. Here, the current flow is through the body 46 and the control of the current flow is accomplished principally in the bulk of the body 46. the eflective material between the electrodes normally being in its blocking state. Another face of the body 46 is provided with an electrode 47 carrying a lead 4!! and a further face of the-body 46 is provided with an electrode 49 provided with a lead 50.

The electrodes 47 and 49 are essentially control electrodesv for conditioning the body 46 to conduct current between the electrodes 11 and 12 or to block the current flow between the electrodes 11 and 12. The electrodes 11, 12, 47 and 49 may be embedded in the body 46 or they may be applied to the surfaces thereof. Thus, in the device of FIG. 12 current flow through the device between the leads l3 and i4 is controlled by-electrical signals or fields applied to the leads 48 and 50.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. 13 is similar to that of FIG. 12, it including a body of solid state semiconductor material 55 having electrodes 11 and 12 applied thereto and connected to leads 13 and 14 for connecting the device in the electrical load circuit. the effective material between the electrodes normally being in its blocking state. it also includes control electrodes 47 and 49 connected by leads 48 and 50 into a control circuit. Here, however. the electrodes 47 and 49 are electrically insulated from the body 55 by means of insulators 56 and 57 so that the current flow between the electrodes 1i and i2 is isolated from the electrodes 47 and 49. The current flow is controlled by an electrical field comprising essentially a capacitive or charging ellect applied between the control electrodes 47 and 49 by he control circuit. Here, the solid state semiconductor body 55 has substantially an hour glass configuration whereby the current carriers are concentrated between the control electrodes 47 and 49 to provide a more eflleient control of the current flow. I

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. I4 is similar to that of FIG. 12, but it being a three electrode device as distinguished from a four electrode device. In FIG. M, the device includes a solid state semiconductor body 51, electrodes 11 and 12 applied to opposite fncc's thereof and a single control electrode 47 applied to another face thercof, the effective material between the electrodes normally being its blocking state, and the elec trodes 11 and 12 being connected by leads 13 and 14 to the electrical load circuit and the electrode 47 being connected by a lead 48 to an electrical control circuit which in turn may also be connected to either of the leads 13 or 34. Here. as in FIG. I2, the electrodes 11,

12 and 47 may be embedded in the body 51 or may be applied to'thc surfaces thereof.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. l5 includes a solid state semiconductor body 52 having electrodes 11 and 12 applied to Opposite faces thereof, the

37 electrodes 11 and 12 having leads 13 and 14 for connecting the device into the electrical load circuit. Here, also. a control electrode 47 is applied to one of tle faces, as for example. the face containing the electrode 11, the control electrode 47 being connected by a lead 46 to the control circuit and the control circuit also being connected to the lead t4. The electrodes l1, l2 and 47 may he embedded in the body 52 or applied to the surfaces thereof. The flow of current is through the body 52 between the electrodes 11 and 12 and the control electrode 47 operates to control the current flow, the effective material of the body between the electrodes normally being in its blocking state.

In FIG. 16. the solid state current controlling device is similar to that of FIG. 15. However. in FIG. 16, the electrodes 11 and 12 are applied to a surface or: film 54 on the solid state semiconductor body 53, the material of the body being in its conducting state and the material of the surface or film normally being in its blocking state.

The flow of current. between the electrodes 11 through the body 53 control of the current trol electrode 47.

The solid state current controlling device of FIG. 17 includes a solid state semiconductor body 58 having a surface or film 59, the electrodes 11. 12 and 47 being applied to that surface or film 59, the material of the body being in its conducting state and the material of the surface or film normally being in its blocking state. The flow of current between the electrodes 11 and 12 is alongthe body and through the surface or film 59 and the control of the current flow by the electrode 47 takes place principally in the surface or film 59."

The electrode andlead arrangements in the devices of FIGS. l5. l6 and 17 may be differently connected into the electrical load and control circuits if desired. For example, the leads l3 and 48 may be connected to the load circuit and the lead 14 connected to the control circt-iit. v

While the bodies 15 'of FIG. 2, 18 of FIG. 3, 20 and 210i FIG. 4, 25 of FIG. 6, 27 of FIG. 7, 53 of FIG. 16 and 58 of FIG. 17 have beendcscribed as being formed of semiconductor material having surfaces or films of and 12 is and the surface or film 54, the flow being controlled by the consemiconductor material thereon, those bodies may be formed of any suitable conducting material, upon which the surface or film of semiconducting material may be suitably coated or deposited as by vacuum deposition or the like. This is made possible since the control of the current flow takes place in the surfaces or films of these devices. Likewise, the bodies 25 of FIG. 6, 27 of FIG. 7. 53 of FIG. 16 and 58 of FIG. 17 may be made of a suitable insulating material such as plastic or glass or the like.'if desired. with the surface or film of semiconducting material suitably coated or deposited thereon. This is made possible in these devices since it isnot necessary to conduct current through the e bodies, the conduction taking place solclyin the surfaces or films.

While manydilfercnt memory type semiconductor materials for providing the aforementioned memory characteristics may be utilized. the following are examples of some of the Hi-l.o memory devices of FIGS. 1 toll -and 12 to 17 which utilize memory type semiconductor materials and which have given satisfactory results (the percentages being by weight): anodized bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% germanium having nickel electrodes vapor deposited thereon; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% germanium, etched with nitric acid. and having metal electrodes, such as tungsten. applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% germanium which have'been ground, polished and chlorinated and which have metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% n-type germanium having metal electrodes applied 18 to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% germanium with a 25% addition of vanadium pentoside and having metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof: bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50'. germanium with the addition of 10% magnetic particles. such as ground ceramic magnetic materials, with metallic electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 3.81 grams of tellurium and 2.42 grams of antimony with metallic electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tclluriutn and 50% gallium antimonidc with metallic electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from lead sulfide, etched with nitric acid, and metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 47% tellurium, 47% germanium. 5% gallium arscnidc and 1% iron having metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% nickel and metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof: bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% germanium which have been heated, outgassed and cooled in vacuum with metallic electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% silicon with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof: bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% indium antimonide with metallic elcctrodes applied to the surface thereof; and bodies or pellets formed from 5 selenium and 50% germanium with metallic electrodes applied to the surface thereof.

Satisfactory Ill-Lo memory devices have also been formed from sandwiches of tellurium oxide, aluminum telluride and tellurium oxide, and from sandwiches of tellurium oxide, tellurium metal and tellurium oxide. with metal electrodes applied to the outer faces thereof.

Satisfactory Hi Lo memory devices have additionally been made by dipping heated gold wires in a powder mixture of 50% tellurium and 50% germanium. the powdered material adhering to the gold wires and the gold wires diffusing into the material, such coated wires being electrically contacted as illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 of the drawings. Satisfactory Hi-Lo devices have further been made as follows: exposing iron wire to the atmosphere to form an oxide surface or film or coating thereon and electrically contacting such wires as illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11; subjecting copper in the atmosphere to form an oxide surface or film or coating thereon and electrically contacting such wire: as illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11; to the atmosphere to form an oxide surface or film or coating thereon and electrically contacting such wires as illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11. The oxide coatings on these wires form suitable ,solid state semi-conductor materials for controlling the current flow in these Ili I.o devices. Tellurium metal treated with nitric acid to form an oxide film thereon which is electrically-contacted by metallic electrodes also forms a satisfactory Hi-Lo memory device.

The following are examples of some of the Circuit Breaker memory memory type semiconductor materials and which have given satisfactory results: bodies or pellets formed from tellurium and 10% germanium with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 90% tellurium, 5% germanium and 5% silicon with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from tellurium and 5% germanium with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 509? germanium with cc ium diffused therein and with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof: bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% germanium which have been ground. polished and chlorinated and which have metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 50% tellurium and 50% germanium which have been heated. outgasscd and cooled in vacuum with metal electrodes applied to the surface wire to a flame I. and exposing aluminum wire devices of FIGS. 1 to 8 which utilize.

powdered material adhering to the gold wires and the gold wires diffusing into the material. .hese coated wires may be electrically contacted in the manner shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 of the drawings.

While many different mechanism type semiconductor materials for providing the aforementioned switching characteristics utilizing a holding current for the low resistance or conducting condition may be utilized, the following are examples of some of the Mechanism devices of FIGS. 1 to 8 and 14 to 17 which utilize mechanism type semiconductor materials, and which have given satisfactory results: bodies or pellets formed from a mixture of 25% arsenic and 75 fi of a mixture of 90% tellurium and germanium with metal electrodes applied to the stirface th ereof; bodies or pellets formed from the foregoing plus the addition of 5% silicon with metal electrodes appliedto the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 75% tellurium and 25% arsenic with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 71.8% tellurium, 14.05% arsenic, 13.06% gal1ium and the remainder lead sulfide with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 72.6% tellurium, 13.2% gallium and 17.2% arsenic with' metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 72.6% tellurium, 27.4% gallium arscnide with metallic electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 85% tellurium, 12% germanium and 3% silicon with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof: bodies or pellets formed frotn 50% telluriunt and 50% gallium with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 67.2% tellurium, 25.3% gallium arsenide and 7.5% n-type germanium with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof: bodies or pellets formed from 75% tellurium and 25%' silicon with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 75% tellurium and 25% indium antimonide with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof; bodies or pellets formed from 55% tellurium and 45% germanium with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof which operate both as Mechanism and Circuit Breaker devices: bodies or pellets formed from 45% tellttrium and 55% germanium with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof which provide a low level Mechanism device which can be pulsed off by the application of a DC. voltage or current". and bodies or pellets formed from 75% selenium and 25% arsenic with metal electrodes applied to the surface thereof.

Additionally, as set forth in the above referred to patent applications of which this application is a continuation in part, the semiconductor materials may also include pellets or wafers or layers or films formed front aluminumtelluride in argon or in air; mixtures of 50% aluminum and 50% tellurium, 50% aluminium and 50% tellurium plus at least 1% indium and/or gallium; tellurium oxide, tellurium oxide plus at least 1% inditun and/or gallium; combinations of aluminum telluridc and tellurium oxide; oxides of tclhtrium, copper. germanium and tantalum; mixtutes of 87.6 parts tellurium to 12.4 parts of aluminum, 31 parts of tellurium to 13 parts of aluminum, aluminum telluride mixed two parts to one part each of germanium and germanium oxide; mixtures of 90% tellurium and 10% germanium, tellurium and 50% gallium t1-Cllltit..

la the aforementioned bodies and pellets included in the Hi-Lo, Circuit Breaker and Mechanism devices, the materials are preferably ground in an unglazed porcelain mortar to an even powder consistency and thoroughly mixed. They are then preferably tamped and he ited in a sealed quartz tube to above the melting point of the material which has the highest melting point. The molten material may be cooled in the tube and then broken into pieces, with pieces ground to proper shape to form the bodies or pellets, or the molten material may be cast from the tube into preheated graphite molds to form the bodies or pellets. The initial grinding of the materials may be done in the presence of air or in the absence of air, the former being preferable where considerable oxides are desired in the ultimate bodies or pellets.

After the bodies or pellets maybe so formed, they are surface treated, as by grinding, etching, chlorinating or the like, and by exposing such surfaces to the atmosphere so as to provide surface states having considerable current carrier restraining centers. The electrically conducting elcctrodcs are preferably applied to such surfaces. Other manners of providing current carrier rcstraining centers, as described in the forepart of this specification. may also be utilized. Since in the formation of the bodies or pellets they are heated and allowed to cool, they in the case of the memory devices will normally be in their low resistance or conducting state, but they or the surfaces or films thereof may be treated, as described, to place them or the surfaces or films thereof in their high resistance or blocking state where considerable current carrier restraining centers or states or conditions'are present. Mechanism devices, the bodies or pellets will normally he in their high resistance or blocking state. Alternatively, in forming the materials it may be desirable to press the mixed powdered materials under pressures up to at least 1000 p.s.i. until the powdered materials are completely compacted, and then the completely compacted materials may he initially heated, as for example, up to 400 C., with the remaining heating taking place by exothermic reaction. The various tyms of solid state current controlling devices illustrated in. FIGS. 1 to 17 may be formed from the various materials discussed above.

Instead of forming bodies or pellets, the foregoing semiconductor materials may be coated on a suitable substrate as by vacuum deposition or the like, and electrodes suitably applied thereto, such as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3. 4, 6, 7, 16 and 17. A particularly satisfactory Mechanism device which is extremely accurate and repeatable in production has been produced by vapor depositing on a smooth steel body or pellet a thin film of tellurium, arsenic and germanium and by applying tungsten electrodes to the deposited film. The film may be formed if desired, by depositing in sequence layers of tellurium, arsenic, germanium, arsenic and tellurium and then heating to a temperature just below the sublimation point of the arsenic to unify and fix the film. When films of the semiconductor materials of this invention are vacuum deposited on substrates they normally assume their high resistance or blocking state because of rapid cooling of the materials as they are deposited or they may be readily made to assume such state in the manners described above.

The electrodes which are utilized in the solid state current controlling devices of this invention may be substantially any good conducting material which is usually relatively inert with respect to the various aforementioned semiconductor materials. Gold electrodes have a strong tendency to diffuse into such semiconductor materials. Aluminum electrodes tend to affect the aforementioned materials, particularly those containing tellurium and germanium, and have a tendency to cause the Mechanism devices to go to their blo king states and, as a result, the I in the ease of the non-memory device upon varying the the upper for exhibiting by appropriate use or" aluminum electrodes assists greatly in obtaining a modulation of the current flow through the Mechanism applied electrical held between and lower thrcsholdvalucs thereof.

The electrodes may be applied to the surfaces of the solid statescmlconductor bodies or pellets in any desired manner as by mechanically pressing them in place, by fusing them in place, by soldering them in place, by vapor deposition, or the like. Preferably, alter the electrodes are applied to the bodies or pellets, a pulse of voltage and current is applied to the devices for conditioning and fixing the electrical contact between the electrodes and the semiconductor material. As expressed above, the current controlling devices of this invention may be encapsulated if desired.

FIG. 18 is a schematic wiring diagram of a test setup which is capable of testing .and showing the operation of the solid state current controlling devices of this invention including the Hi-Lo, Circuit Breaker and Mechanism devices. As illustrated, the test setup includes a variable transformer 65, such as a Variac, having a primary winding 66 and a secondary winding 67. The primary winding 66 is connected to a pair of terminals 68 and 69 which in turn are connected to a source of A.C.

electrical energy, such as a 220 volt source. A movable contact 70 contacts the winding 67 so as to provide selected A.C. voltages. The secondary winding 67 and its movable contact 70 are conncctcd'into an AC load circuit 71, 72 including an electrical load 73. Also included in the load circuit 71, 72 is another load. resistor 74 which is utilized in connection with an oscilloscopefor indicating electrical conditions in the test setup. An additional load resistance 75 may be connected in parallel with the load resistance 73 by a switch 76 for increasing the' total load and hence the current flow in the load circuit 71, 72. The solid state circuit controlling devices of this invention are connected in series in the load circuit 71-, 72 for controlling the current flow therein and, as illustrated in FIG. 18, thc solidstate circuit controlling device is designated all) and is connected into the load circuit by the leads 13 and 14. While FIG. 18. for purposes of illustration, includes the solid state circuit controlling device of FIG. 1, the other solid state ciredit controlling devices of FIGS. 2 to 17 may also be utilized in this test setup. A source of D.C. or AC. voltage and current is adapted to be connected across the solid state circuit controlling device 10, it being illuslisted as a battery 77 which is adapted to be connected across the solid state circuit controlling device 10 by a switch 78 in a control circuit having very little, if any,

resistance.

The test setup of FIG. 18 also includes an oscilloscope traces the electrical conditions existing in the test setup. The oscilloscope includes connections across the secondary 67 of -the transformer 65 for producing a time-voltage trace corresponding to the AC. voltage applied to the load circuit by the transformer, this connection being designated 80 and A" in FIG. 18 and producing traces 80 as illustrated in dotted lines in FIGS. 19 to 21. The oscilloscope also includes connections across the series resistance 74 in the load circoil 71, 72 for producing a time-voltage drop trace and, hence, a time-current trace corresponding to the current How in the load circuit, this connection being illustrated at 81 and B in FIG. 18 and the traces produced thereby being illustrated in solid lines at 81 in FIGS. 19 to 21. The oscilloscope also includes connections across the solid state current controlling device 10 which are designated X axis V" and 82 and which respond to the voltage drop across'the solid state circuit controllingdcvice 10. The oscilloscope further includes connections across the series resistance 74 which are designated "Y axis I" and 83 and these connections respond to the current flow through the load circuit. The connections Bland B3 are compared in the oscilloscope for producing voltage-current traces and as the load line 155 intersects 22 84 in accordance with the existing voltage and current conditions affecting the solid state current controlling device 10, such voltage-current traces being designated at 84 in FIGS. 19 to 21.

Before describing the A.C. operations of the Ill-Lo, Circuit Breaker and Mechanism devices in the aforementioned test setup of FIG. 18, and for a better understanding thereof, a brief description of the D.C. operation thercof will first he made since each half cycle of the A.C. opcration may be considered a D.C. operation involving oppositepolarities. In this connection, it is assumed that the test setup of FIG. I8 is powered with a variable D.C. voltage source and reference is made to the characteristic curves of FIGS. 32 and 33 plotting current in the circult against the applied D.C. voltage across the device as determined by the oscilloscope connections 83 and -82 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 32 illustrates the characteristic curves of the Hi- Lo and Circuit Breaker memory devices. Assuming the memory control device in its blocking state and a gradual increase in applied voltage, there is a slight increase in current in the circuit as indicated by the curve until such time as a voltage threshold value is reached. The blocking condition of the device is immediately altered and switched from its blocking condition as indicated by the line 151 to its conducting condition and the current flow through the circuit is then along the line 152. The

device has memory of this conducting condition and will I remain in this conducting condition until switched to its blocking condition as hereafter described, and when the voltage is substantially decreased or removed, the current flow is along the curve 153. The lower portion 153 of the low resistance conducting curve is substantially ohmic while the upper portion 152 of the curve, in some instances, has a substantially constant voltage characteristic as shown and, in other instances, has a substantially ohmic characteristic providing a slight slope thereto. The load line of the circuit is illustrated at 154, it being substantially parallel to the line 151. When a D.C. current is applied independently of the load circuit to the Iii-Lo device as by the battery 77 and the switch 78 in FIG. 18, the load line for such current is along the line 155 since there is very little, if any, resistance in this control circuit,

the curve 150, the conducting condition of the device is immediately realtcrcd and switched to its blocking condition. Also as described above in connection with the Circuit Breaker device operation, when substantially as by closing the switch 76 in FIG. 18, the load line of the load circuit is substantially along the line 155 of FIG. 32 and as the load line 155 intersects the curve 15", the conducting condition of the device will also be immediately rcaltercd and switched to its blocking condition. The devices will remain in their blocking condition until switched to their conducting condition by the rcapplication of a threshold voltage.

FIG. 33 sets forth the characteristic curves of the mechanism device without memory included in the D.C. load circuit. Here, the device is normally in its blocking condition and as the D.C. voltage is increased, there is a slight increase in current as illustrated by the line 150. When the applied D.C. voltage reaches a threshold value,

the biocking condition of the device is immediately altered and switched along the line 151 to its conducting condition as illustrated by the curve 152. The low resistance conducting condition as shown by the substantially straight curve 152 has a substantially constant ratio of voltage change to current change and conducts current at a substantially constant voltage above a minimum current holding value which is adjacent the bottom of the substantially straight curve 152. The voltage is substantially the same for increase and decrease in current above the minimum current holding value as shown by the curve 152. when, however, the applied D.C. voltage is lowered to a value to decrease the current to a value below said'minh the load resistance in the load circuit decreases mum current holding value, the low resistance conducting condition follows substantially the curve 156 and immediately causes rcaltcralion and switching to the high resistance blocking condition. The realtering and switching may continue along the curve [56 which sometimes occurs where alternating current is being switched or the realteration and switching may be substantially instantaneous as shown by the broken line 156' which usually occurs when direct current is being switched. in either event, the decrease in current to a value below the minimum current holding value immediately causes realtering of the low resistance conducting condition to the high resistance blocking condition. Immediately is used herein in its normal sense and means starting the realleration directly, at once and without any intermediary or intermcdiation. The device will remain in its blocking condition until switched to its conducting condition by the application of a threshold voltage. Some of the control devices which have memory of their conducting state, the

operation of which is illustrated in FIG. 32, when cycled sui'ficicntly rapidly, will follow the operation illustrated in FIG. 33 rather than in FIG. 32.

Assuming that a Hi-Lo memory device is included in the A-.C. testcircuit of FIG. 18, the switch 76 controlling the additional load resistor '75 is maintained open and the switch 78 is manipulated for providing the Hi-Lo A.C. operation. The Hi-Looperation is illustrated by the trace curves 80, 81 and 84 in FIG. 19. For purposes of explanation it is assumed that the Hi-Lo device is in its blocking state when it is inserted in series into the test load circuit 71, 72 and, as shown in the first part of FIG. 19, currcnt'ilow through the device 10 is blocked. The time-voltage curve 80 shows the applied voltage-and the time-ctirrcnt curve 81 shows that no current is flowing,

. this latter condition also being illustrated by the voltagecurrcnt curve 84 lying along the X or V axis. This corresponds to the curve 150 in FIG. 32. Thus, the Hi- Lo device has a high blocking resistance and acts as an insulator to block the current flow through the load circuit.

' As the contact 70 is manipulated to increase the applied voltage. the Hi-Lo device v1t) continues to block the current flow until such time as the applied voltage rises to a threshold value. When this occurs, the Iii-Lo device 10 "tires" and is substantially instantaneously altered or changed from its blocking state or condition to its conducting state or condition wherein the conducting resistance thereof is decreased to such a value that the l-Ii-Lo device 10 operates substantially as a conductor for allowing current fiow through ,the load circuit. This condition is illustrated in the second part of FIG. 19 where the time-current curve 81 overlies the time-voltage curve 80 indicating substantiallycomplcte current flow through the device. This condition is also illustrated bythe voltage-current curve 84 along the Y or 1 axis. This corresponds to thecurve 152, 153 in FIG. 32. when so fired,"

' the Hi-Lo device 10v continues conducting above and below the aforementioned threshold value, as illustrated in the third part of FIG'. 19, and this conducting state or condition continues even though the applied voltage decreases to zero or is removed entirely.

When the applied voltage is below the threshold value and the switch 78 is then closed to apply a D.C. or A.C. voltage and high current to the device 10, the device 10 is substantially instantaneously changed from its conducting state or condition to its blocking state'or condition, as

' illustrated in the fourth part of FIG. 19. This condition 24 being substantially instantaneously realtercd or changed to its blocking state or condition when the applied signal reaches a predetermined value. The device It) remains in its blocking state until such time as the applied voltage is again raised to its threshold value. Thus, the Hi- 'Low device 10 is changed to its conducting state by the tellurium and 50% germanium and having a surface with oxides and having tungsten electrodes applied to the surface of the semiconductor material, has a blocking "resistance of at least 50 million ohms and a conducting resistance of 1 ohm or less. For about a 10 watt load utilizing about-a 1,000 ohm resistance, the application of a threshold voltage of about 20 volts A.C. causes the device to fire and change to its conducting state, and the momentary application of about a 5 volt D.C. pulse at an applied A.C. voltage of about l5 volts causes the device to change to its blocking state. Incrcasing'thc current carrier restraining centers, in the manners pointed out in the foremost part of the specification, increases the threshold value of the applied voltage required to "tire" the device. Also, if the aforementioned Hi-Lo device is provided with gold electrodes in lieu'of the tungsten electrodes, a D.C. pulse of only about 2 volts is required to change the device from its conducting state to its blocking state. By appropriate selection of materials and electrodes, and by appropriate treatment of the materials and application of the electrodes thereto, the Hi-Low devices may be tailor made to fit almost any clectrical-char acteristic requirement.

The manner of AC. operation of the Circuit Breaker memory device is illustrated by the curves 80, 8t and 84 in FIG. 20. Here, the switch 78 is maintained open and the switch 76 is manipulated for changing the load in the electrical load circuit and hence the current flow through the Circuit Breaker device. For explainingthe operation of the Circuit Breaker device, it is assumed that a Circuit Breaker device 19 is placed in the test circuit while in its conducting state or condition and while the electrical. field (applied A.C. voltage) is below its threshold value. This is illustrated by the curves in the first part of FIG. 20, wherein the time-current curve 81 overlies the time-voltage curve 80' and wherein the composite voltage-current curve 84 lles'along the Y or I axis, this indicating substantially complete current flow at applied voltages below the threshold value. This corresponds to the curve 152, 153 in FIG. 32. If the load in the load circuit is then increased, as by closing the switch 76 to increase the current flow through the Circuit Breaker device 10, the Circuit Breaker device to is substantially instantaneously realtei'ed or changed from its conducting state or condition to its blocking state or condition as illustrated in the second part of FIG. 20, wherein the time-current curve 81 and the voltage-current curve 84 illustrate no current how. This corresponds to the curve in FIG. 32. In lieu of the switch 76, a rheostat or potentiometer may be utilized for gradually increasing the load and hence the current flow through the device 10, the device 10 being substantially instantaneously rcaltered or changed to its blocking state when the increase in current tlow reaches a predetermined value. The Circuit Breaker device will remain in its blocking state so long as the applied voltage is below its threshold value, as is shown in the third part of FIG. 20. and this is so even though the applied voltage is completely removed. 7

When, however, the applied voltage is increased above the threshold value, the Circuit Breaker device fires" and is substantially instantaneously altered or changed from its blocking state or condition to its conducting state or condition as illustrated in the fourth part of FIG. 20, wherein the time-current curve 81 overlies the time-voltage curve 80 and the composite voltage-current curve 84 lies along the Y or I axis. While there is a slight slope to the curves 84 in FIG. 20, the slope is so small that it has not hecnillustrated in FIG. 20. Thus, the Circuit Breaker device has memory, remembering its blocking and conducting states, and being substantially instantaneously changed from its conducting state to its blocking state by the imposition of an electrical field (current increase) and being changed from its blocking state to its conducting state by the imposition of another electrical field (applying a voltage above the threshold value).

As one typical example, a Circuit Breaker device, having a memory type semiconductor material formed from 50% tellurinin and 50% germanium and having its surface sand blasted and oxidized with nitric acid and then chlorinated and having tungsten electrodes applied to the surface of the semiconductor material, has a blocking resistance of at least 50 million ohms and a conducting resistance of about 1 ohmor less. For about a 10 watt load utilizing about a 1000 ohm resistance, the application of a threshold voltage of about 50 volts AC, causes the device to fire" and change to its conducting state. When the device is conducting at said load with an applied voltage of about 45 volts, the current fiow may be in excess of 2,000 milliamps, and an increase in current flow due to an increase in the electrical load, in the neighborhood of 100 milliamps, causes the device to substantially instantaneously change from its conducting state to its blocking state. Also, if the afonmentioned (iicuit Breaker device is provided with gold electrodes in lieu of tungsten electrodes, an increase in current llow of only a few milliamps is sufiicient to change the device from its conducting state to its blocking state. The (ircuit Breaker devices can also be operated as Hi-Lo devices if desired. lly appropriate selection of materials and electrodes, and by appropriate treatment of the materials and application of the electrodes thereto, the Cir cuit Breaker devices may be tailor made to fit almost any electrical characteristic requirement.

The manner of AC. operation of the current controlling device-of this invention as a Mechanism device is illustrated in FIG 21. Here, the Mechanism dcvicewhcn placed in the test setup is in its blocking state and it blocks the current flow through the load circuit as shown by the curves 80, 81 and 84 in the lirst part of FIG. 21. This corresponds to the curve 150 in FIG. 33. It will continue blocking the current flow so long as the applied voltage is below an upper threshold value. When, however, the applied /\.C. voltage is increased to at least the threshold-value, the Mechanism device fires" and it is substantially instantaneously altered or changed from its blocking state or condition to its conducting state or condition as indicated by the curves 80, 8t and 84 in the second part of FIG. 21. This corresponds to the curve 152 of FIG. 33. However, as shown at 85 in the timecurrent curve 81 and the voltage-current curve 84, there is not absolutely complete conduction throughout the complete AC; cycles, the device being fired a point 85 in each half cycle. This corresponds to the point where curve 150 in FIG. 3 switches along line 151. It is believed that this is" so because the Mechanism device at all times tends to rcalter or change from its conducting state to its blocking state and does so when the instantaneous current nears zero in the /\.C. cycle. This c0rrc sponds to the curves 156 or 156' in FIG. 33. As the applied voltage is decreased from its upper threshold value. the points 85 in the curves 8! and 84 may appear later in each-half cycle and become more pronounced,

, here noted that the device has a switching characteristic devices. The electrical field which The direction of the voltage-current. trace 84 is indicatedby the arrows in the third part of FIG. 21, and it is which is completely synunetrical for both the first and second halves of the alternating applied voltage. The portions of the curves 84 between the points on the horizontal and the vertical are traversed so rapidly that there is substantially instantaneous switching from the blocking state to the conducting state, and while dual traces are shown in the third part of FIG. 21 to illustrate the direction of the traces, these traces actually overlie each other as illustrated in the second part of FIG. 21. It is also noted in the second and third parts of FIG. 21 that the vertical current curves 84 have substantially no slope and that current is conduc ed until the current nears zero in the AC. cycle. Thus, the Mechanism device has substantially a "zero" minimum holding current value. The substantially vertical current curves 84 are substantially straight and demonstrate that the Mechanism device provides in its conducting condition a substantially constant ratio of voltage change to current change at a substantially constant voltage between the electrodes which voltage is the same for increase and decrease in current above the minimum current holding value and, also, provides for a voltage drop across the device in its conducting condition which .is a minor fraction of the voltage drop across the device in its blocking condition near said threshold voltage value. When the instantaneous current through the device in its conducting condition decreases in each half cycle to a value below said minimum current holding value, a value near zero," it immediately causes realtering or changing of the conducting condition to the blocking condition.

When the applied voltage is decreased to a lower threshold value, the Mechanism device changes from its modified conducting state or condition, as illustrated by the curves 80, 81 and 84 in the third part of FIG. 21. to its blocking state or condition, as illustrated by the curves 80, 81 and 84 in the fourth part of FIG. 2L It is believed that this is due to the applied voltage hcing insulficient to retire" the device during the half cycles. The difference between the upper and lower threshold values may be made large or small or even 7cm depending upon the type of operation desired. The device will remain in its blocking state until such time as the applied voltage is again increased to at least its upper threshold value. Thus, the Mechanism device does not generally have a complete memory when made conducting by an AC. voltage as is the case of the Hi-Lo and Circuit Breaker changes the Mechanism device from its blocking state to its modified conducting state is the applied voltage above an upper threshold value and the electrical field which changes the device from its modified conducting state to its blocking state is the decrease of the applied voltage to a lower threshold value.

However, as described above, it has been found that, when the Mechanism device with memory is in its conducting state as illustrated in the second and third portions'of FIG. 2!. and when the load resistor 73 is increased substantially to decrease substantially the current flow through the device, the device tends to become a full conductor, such as illustrated in the second and third portions of H0. 19, and tends to remain substantially indefinitely in such conducting state when the applied A.C. voltage is decreased to rero. Also, as described above, it has been found that, when the Mechanism de vice is in its conducting state as illustrated in the second and third portions of FIG. 21, a DC. bias voltage is also applied, either continuously or in a pulse by the hattery 77, the resistance value or state of the device in indicated by the low voltage drop across the device.

vicc has memory of that resistance value and remains in that state. i

As one example. a typical Mechanism device includes a mechanism type semiconductor material comprising a powdered mixture of 72.6% tellurium, 13.2% gallium and 14.2% arsenic which has been tamped, heated to melting. slowly cooled, broken into pieces and made into pellt ts by grinding in air to proper shape, and which has tungsten,

electrodes applied to the surfaces of the pellet. Such a Mechanism device has a highblocking resistance of at least 50 million ohms and a low conducting resistance as It also has an upper threshold voltage of about 60 volts and a lower threshold voltage of about 55 volts. If such pellets are not ground, the Mechanism device has an upper threshold voltage of about 150 volts and a lower threshold voltage of about 140 volts. When aluminum electrodes are utilized in the Mechanism devices, there is a greater tendency for such devices to change to their blocking states with the result that such devices have a greater current modulating range between the upper and lower values of the applied voltage. This would be ex emplilied in the third partof FIG-21 by an expansion of the points 85 in the curves 81 and 84 before the device is substantially instantaneously changed from its modified conducting state to its blocking'state.

It is also noted that where the Mechanism devices with memory lean toward a semiconductor material of substantially 50% tellurium and 50% germanium they can be pulsed off by increased current flow or by the imposition of a D.C. or AC. voltage or current as in the case of the Circuit Breaker devices and the Hi-Lo devices, respectively. An example of a Mechanism device which can be operated as a Circuit Breaker device is one having substantially 55% tellurium and-45% germanium with tungsten electrodes. An example of a Mechanism device whichcanbe operated as a Hi-Lo device is one having substantially 45% tellurium and 55% germanium with tungsten electrodes. Where aluminum electrodes are utilized, the devices may be more readily pulsed off. Where one tungsten and one aluminum electrode are utilized, it is found that there is greater resistance to current flow in one half cycle than the other half cycle of the A.C.

current flow, and this provides for more ready pulsing oil of the devices with minimum decrease in total current flow. By appro'priate selection of materials and electrodes, and by appropriate treatment of the materials and application of the electrodes thereto, the Mechanism devices may be tailor made to fit almost any electrical characteristic requirement.

Additions to the various solid state semiconductor materials of arsenic, sulfur, phosphorus. animony, arsenide, sulfides, phosphides and antimonides appear to have the effect of stabilizing the semiconductor materials, and it is believed that they also have the effect of increasing the current carrier restraining centers and/or decreasing or inhibiting the crystallization forces. They may be selected as desired and many of them have been referred to in the aforementioned descriptions of the semiconductor materials. 'Gold, nickel, iron, manganese, aluminum, cesium and alkali and alkaline earth metal inclusions readily mix in the semiconductonmaterials and it is believed that they also have a tendency to affect the currcnt carrier restraining centers therein and/or all'ect the crystallization forces. They may also be selected as desired and many of thenthavealso been referred to in the aforementioneddescriptions of the semiconductor materials.

FIG. 22 is a schematic wiring diagram of a circuit arrangement [or changing the memory type Hi-Lo and Cirill) - 2S cuit Breaker solid state current controlling devices from their blocking states to their conducting states and from their conducting states to their blocking states. Here,

the leads l3 and 14 of the circuit controlling devices,

such as the device 10. may be applied to terminals 91 and 92 for applying a D.C. voltage thereto to change the device front its blocking state to its conducting state and may be applied to terminals 92 and 93 to change the device from its conducting state to its blocking state. The circuit arrangement of HG. 22 is energized from terminals 94 and 95 which may be connected to a variable D.C. electrical energy source having, for example, a maximum voltage of about 200 volts. l he terminal 94 is connected thlough resistors 96 and 97 to the terminal 95, the resistor 96 having, for example, a value of K and the resistor 97 having, for example. a value of 10K. The terminal 94 is also connected through a resistor 98 to the tcr -minal 91, this resistor having, for example, a value of 10K. The terminal 92 is connected to the juncture between the resistors 96 and 97 and the terminal 93 is directly connected to the terminal 95. A condenser 99 having, for example, a value of lOMF is connected across the terminals 92 and 93 in parallel with the resistor 97.

It is thus seen that when the leads l3 and 14 of the device 10 are contacted with the terminals 91 and 92, a D.C. voltage above a threshold value is applied to the device 10 for substantially instantaneously changing it from its blocking state to its conducting state. This voltage need be only momentarily applied and, thus, it is only necessary to touch the terminals 91 and 92 with the leads l3 and 14. It is also seen that when the loads 13 and 14 of the device 10, which is then in its conducting state, are contacted with the terminals 92 and 93, the condenser 99 is discharged and a substantial D.C. current is caused to flow through the device [0 for substantially instantaneously changing it from its conducting state to its blocking state. Here, again, the current need be only momentarily imposed and, thus, the switching of the device from its conducting state to its blocking state may be accomplished merely by touching the leads l3 and I4 to.

the terminals 92 and 93. The Hi-Lo and Circuit Breaker devices 10, as expressed above, have complete and long lasting memory so that they may be selectively conditioned for their blocking and conducting states and stored in such states. The Mechanism device with memory may also beswitched from its blocking state to its conducting state by touching its lendslJ and 14 to the terminals 91 and 92 for, as described above, the Mechanism device is caused to assume its conducting state by the application of a D.C. voltage thereto, the Mechanism device having incinory and remaining in its conducting state. Howeve'r, to switch the Mechanism device to its blocking state with memory it'is necessary to impose an AI. voltage thereon. Thus, the leads I3 and I4 of the Mechanism device would not be touched to the terminals 92 and 93 for this purpose hilt, instead, would he touched to terminals having an /\.C. voltage applied thereto. All of these devices having these controllable conducting and locking memory states are admirabl suitable for memory devices for use in read-in and rend-out devices in computers and the like, and this is especially so since they can directly switch high energy electrical load circuitsand eliminate the need for low energy electrical load circuits and related amplifiers as are now required.

FIG. 23 is a schematic wiring diagram of a typical load circuit'arrangemcnt utilizing a Hi-Lo device of the two electrode type, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to ll. Here, a pair of terminals 100 and 101 are connected to a variable source of electrical energy such as a I00 volt A.C. source. The load circuit includes an electrical load 102 which is connected by conductors 103 and 104 to the terminals 100 and 101. The electrical load 102 may be any desired load such as a heating device, a motor winding, a solenoid, or the like. A I-li-Lo type solid state current controlling device, such as the device 10, is connected in series in the ho mcr. one or the olhcr or both of the primary windings I24 and 125 are not energized, the voltage produced by the secondary winding 12.! is less titan the lower threshold value so as to substantially instantaneously change tilt. device from its conducting state to its blocking state to block current flow through the load circuit 103. 104. Thus, the load circuit arrangement of FIG. 28 forms a simple logic circuit, such as an and gate circuit, requiring simultaneous cnergization of both of the primary windings 124 and 125 in order to energize the electrical load 102. Such a circuit is particularly useful in computer devices and the like. If desired, additional frimary windings may be provided to-require simultaneous cncrgization of all of many primary windings in order to energize the electrical load.

FIG. 29 is a schematic wiring diagram of a typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a mechanism device of the four electrode type as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and I3. Ilere, the Mechanism device, such as the device 46, is connected in series in the load circuit 103, 104 by the leads I3 and I4. The control leads 48 and 50 of the device 46 are connected to the secondary winding 128 of a transformer 127 having primary windings 129 and 130. The primary winding 129 is connected through a switch 131 to apair of terminals 132and I33, which are in turn conncctcd to a voltage source of the same phase as the voltage source applied to the load terminals 100 and 10L the primary winding 130 is connected through a switch 134 to a pair of terminals 133 and 135, which in turn are connected to a voltage source which is of a phase oppositc to the phase of the voltage source applied to the load terminals 100 and 101. The switches 131 and 134 are ganged sothat when one is closed the other is opened. The voltage applied to the load terminals 100 and 101 is of a value which is less than the upper threshold voltage of the device 46 and more than the lower threshold value of the device 46. g

Thus, when the switch I34 is closed and the switch 131 is opened, the voltage applied to the device 46 by the secondary winding I28 of the transformer 127 bucks the voltage applied front the load terminals I00 and I01 to the device 46. As a result, the resultant total voltage applied to the device 46 is less thanthe lower threshold value, and the device 46 is substantially instantaneously changed from its conducting state to its blocking state for interrupting the flow of current in the load circuit 103, I04. 0n the other hand, when the switch 131 .is closed and switch 134 is opened, the voltage produced by the secondary winding 128 and applied to the device 46 is additive with the voltage applied to the device 46 by the load terminals 100 and 101. As a result, the resultant voltage applied toithe device 46is above the upper threshold value and the device 46 is substantially instantaneously changed from its blocking state to its conducting state to allow current flow through the load circuit I03, I04.

Thus, the arrangement of FIG. 29 produces substantially the same results as the arrangement of FIG. 27, but it utilizes a four electrode type of device and an isolated transformer. I I

FIG. is a partial schematic wiring diagram similar to that of FIG. 29.and illustrates a typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Mechanism device of the three electrode type illustrated in FIGS. 14 to l7. Here the device, such as the device 51, is connected by leads I3 and I4 in series into the load circuit I03. The primary windtag 128 of the transformer is connected to the lead 13 and to the control lead 48. The arrangement of FIG. 30

operates in the same manner as the arrangement of FIG. 29 and, therefore, a further description is not considered necessary.

While the arrangement of FIG. 26 has been described above as a circuit breaker arrangement responding to inabove as a Circuit Breaker arrangement responding to increased load conditions in the load circuit 103, 104 for opening the load circuit upon an increase in load, that Ill arrangement may also be utilized as a Mechanism arrangement for producing the results obtained by the arrange ncnts of FIGS. 27, 29 and 30. In this respect, the device 10, which is connected in series into the load circuit by the leads l3 and I4, is a Mechanism device having an upper voltage threshold value for substantially instantaneously changing the device from its blocking state to its conducting state and a lower voltage threshold value for substantially instantaneously changing the device from its conducting state to its blocking stale. Here, the voltage applied to the terminals I00 and 101 is less than the lower threshold value thereof so that the device 10 normally blocks the llow of current through the load circuit I03, 304. When, however, the switch III, H2 is closed. the resultant voltage applied to the device I0 is above the upper threshold value for substantially instantaneously changing the device 10 front its blocking state to its conducting state. i As a result, the mechanism device 10 is switched between its blocking and conducting states by the simple manipulation of the switch III, I12.

The arrangement of FIG. 26 utilizing the Mechanism device as described immediately above may also operate as a logic circuit similar to FIG. 28 or as a proximity switch circuit. With respect to the logic circuit or "and" gate circuit operation, the transformer 122 of FIG. 28 may be substituted for the transformer 108 of FIG. 26, the secondary winding 123 being included in the load circuit 103, I04 of FIG. 26. In this arrangement, simultaneous energization of the primary windings 124 and 125 would be required to boost the applied voltage above the upper threshold value to fire the-device 10 to its conducting state and if either or both of the primary windings 124 and 125 were deenergizcd, the applied voltage would drop below the lower threshold value to change the device 10 to its blocking state. With respect to the proximity switch circuit operation, the primary winding 109 of the transformer I08 of FIG. 26 would be connected directly to the terminals I00 and 101 and the core construction of closed and opened at will. thereby providing a simple and ell'ective proximity switch construction.

FIG. 3] is a schematic wiring diagram of another typical load circuit arrangement utilizing a Mechanism device of the three electrode type as illustrated inFIGS. l4 to 17. Here, the device, such as the device 58 of FIG. 17, is connected by loads 13 and 14 in series into the load circuit I03, I04. The control lead 48 is connected through a resistor I37 and a switch I38 to one end of a secondary winding I39 of a transformer 140, the other end of the secondary winding 13) being connected to the lead 13, but, if desired, it may be connected to the lead 14 instead of the lead I3, either connection providing-an propriatc operation. The primary winding 141 of the transformer is connected to a suitable A.C. source of the same frequency as the A.C. source for the load circuit 103, I04 and, if desired it may be connected to the same source, the important consideration being that the-A.C. signal applied to the leads 48 and I3 is in phase with the A.C. signal applied to the leads 13 and I4 through the. Also, the A.C. signal may be apswitch 138 is in its open position, the device 58 is in its blocking state and no current flows in the load circuit..

However, when the switch 138 is closed, an A.C. voltage,

Claims (1)

1. A SYMMETRICAL CURRENT CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT INCLUDING A MECHANISM TYPE SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL MEANS AND ELECTRODES IN NON-RECTIFYING CONTACT THEREWITH FOR CONNECTING THE SAME IN SERIES IN SAID ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL MEANS BEING OF ONE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE, SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR PROVIDING A FIRST CONDITION OF RELATIVELY HIGH RESISTANCE FOR SUBSTANTIALLY BLOCKING CURRENT THERETHROUGH BETWEEN THE ELECTRODES SUBSTANTIALLY EQUALLY IN EACH DIRECTION, SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL MEANS INCLUDING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A VOLTAGE OF AT LEAST A THRESHOLD VALUE IN EITHER DIRECTION OR ALTERNATELY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS APPLIED TO SAID ELECTRODES FOR ALTERING SAID FIRST CONDITION OF RELATIVELY HIGH RESISTANCE OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL MEANS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY INSTANTANEOUSLY PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE PATH THROUGH SAID-CONDUCTOR MATERIAL MEANS BETWEEN THE ELECTRODES HAVING A SECOND CONDITION OF RELATIVELY LOW RESISTANCE FOR CONDUCTING CURRENT THERETHROUGH BETWEEN THE ELECTRODES SUBSTANTIALLY EQUALLY IN EACH DIRECTION, SAID MAINTAINING SAID AT LEAST ONE PATH OF CLUDING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID AT LEAST ONE PATH OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL MEANS IN ITS SAID SECOND RELATIVELY LOW RESISTANCE CONDUCTING CONDITION AND PROVIDING

Method for forming phase-change memory bipolar array utilizing a single shallow trench isolation for creating an individual active area region for two memory array elements and one bipolar base contact